SACRAMENTO— Today, the California State Senate passed the School Success and Opportunity Act (Assembly Bill 1266), sending the bill that ensures transgender students have the opportunity to succeed in school to Governor Jerry Brown for signature. Authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, the bill passed the Senate with a 21-9 vote (unofficial). The bill passed the California State Assembly in May with a 46-25 vote.

WASHINGTON, June 25 — Today, the Supreme Court struck down a central part of the Voting Rights Act, invalidating crucial protections passed by Congress in 1965 and renewed four times in the decades since. The sharply divided decision will significantly reduce the federal government’s role in overseeing voting laws in areas with a history of discrimination against African-Americans.

SACRAMENTO-Today the California Senate Education Committee passed AB 1266 (Ammiano), the School Success and Opportunity Act, a bill that provides crucial support for transgender students, by a vote of 5-2. The bill will ensure that California public schools understand their responsibility for the success and well-being of all students, including transgender students, and will allow transgender students to fully participate in all school activities, programs, and facilities.

Christopher Street West/L.A. Pride President Rodney Scott thinks roughly 400,000 people attended L.A. Pride last weekend. The fire marshals report this was the largest parade crowd they have ever seen. Additionally, there was a considerable diversity with people of all ages and ethnicities, clusters of groups and families, straight and LGBT. “I’m thrilled, honored and humbled,” said Scott, “and I was so moved.”

But compliance with the FAIR Act requires persistence, watchdog vigilance and plans to push for local agencies to allocate funding for programs under Brown’s new budget plan.

“GSAs across the state have been working with teachers and administrators to ensure that the FAIR Education Act is implemented in their schools,” Laub said. “Our Statewide Advocacy Council, a group of approximately 20 youth leaders, has made implementation a priority this year and helped in the development of several resources for students to use in their schools.”